"Scars are ghosts of people you've left behind. They aren't always visible but they never go away"

The first kiss is something that's often wildly romanticised in literature. Here's an antidote to that which paints the first kiss as a scar which never quite heals. It's a creative and bold character study, teasing across that line between poetry and prose.

The night is silent and dark. Heart beating furiously, a man plays back a tape; releasing the carefree voices of the past into the night like so many ghosts.

Using very minimalist story-telling techniques, Tanton's short piece manages to create a surprising amount of suspense and atmosphere. The perfect foil for a dark October evening - just don't read before heading out for a walk on your own.